


Distorted Soul

by McKaysgal



Category: Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Genre: F/M, Kidnapping, Mild Sexual Content, Obsession, Stalking, Watching Someone Sleep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:09:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24991324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McKaysgal/pseuds/McKaysgal
Summary: A coward in love with the hapless younger sister of Jesse James...  He'll do whatever it takes to have her as his own.





	Distorted Soul

I knew that it was wrong to love someone you were supposed to hate, yet I didn't have the heart to care anymore.

I had no right to love this man who ruined my family, but he held my very soul in his grip.

He had given me anything I could wish for…

I had always been the baby in the family, the one my parents made promises to that were never kept.

But, the man I had come to love had changed my entire life.

He had transformed me from a young, naïve youth into a beautiful and blossoming young woman.

I had seen him display episodes of anger that had frightened me, but every time his blue eyes focused on me, it was as if he had never felt the feeling of rage in his life.

He told me that I was the only light in his life now, his only salvation.

He would do anything to keep me happy and safe. He would make me his bride and take me away from my troubled memories.

This gorgeous man had touched me in ways I had never been touched before, in sensual, exhilarating ways that I longed to experience with him for the rest of my days.

I was genuinely in love with the man who was responsible for the death of the American outlaw, Jesse James.

I, Laura James, his sister, had fallen in love with the man who murdered him…

Robert Ford…

Chapter 2: Rather Lovely Thing  
2 months earlier 

Bob's POV:

"Don't that picture look dusty."

I heard my brother mutter those immortal words for the thousandth time in five years. My inert figure sat in the chair on the stage while Charley slowly walked toward the painting of a lovely brown stallion. As I watched him walk slowly across the left half of the stage, images of my last morning with Jesse floated in my mind.

Charley approached the wooden chair, climbed onto it, and began dusting the flawless portrait of a beautiful animal.

Now was my cue for the climax of the show. I stood up from the chair I had been sitting in. My pistol was clutched tightly in my hand, my finger hanging onto the trigger, waiting for the perfect second to conclude the act.

Tightening the beloved trigger against my finger, I aimed carefully at the back of Charley's head. The shot was fired, the sound echoing around the entire auditorium, leaving the room with a deadly silence.

My brother staggered off his chair, clutching his chest in an exaggerated manner, and finally collapsed to the hard floor. I turned away from his form, my head turned sideways from the audience. A piercing scream shattered the silence after the gunshot, roaring though my ears since I was standing close. The actress who played Jesse's wife, Zee, was doing her part for the show. She was to walk onto the stage and scream loudly in grief; although I was surprised we bothered having that part written into the show.

I did my best to ignore the scream, but soon the room was once again filled with silence.

Standing triumphant in the center of the stage, I felt the unmistakable warmth of the spotlight shine down on me. I twirled my fake pistol around in my hand, and stuffed it into my jacket pocket.

"And that's… how I killed Jesse James." I declared to the audience, filled with pride, fear and other emotions too complex to explain or understand.

I turned away from the clapping audience to see what other stage performers thought of the show. That was when I first spotted a hint of hope, redemption, forgiveness… and love.

So beautiful, my mind told me of what my eyes had locked on.

Near backstage, a girl of nearly eighteen years old stood in a lovely scarlet dress. She wore her long, flowing brunette hair down, hanging along her back like a waterfall in liquid chocolate. Her baby-blue eyes gazed across the stage, watching the clapping audience, drinking in the essence of being part of a large show.

Yet, I could see by the look in her eyes that she seemed intimidated to be around all this commotion, all these people. She almost looked scared.

"Bob, the show's over, son. It's time to go backstage." Charley's voice broke my thoughts and I was forced to turn my eyes away from the blossoming young woman who had caught me off guard.

To my surprise, we headed in the direction of where the lovely girl was standing. Her small form instantly turned away from me and walked the opposite way.

She couldn't have been more than 5 feet tall, and she seemed more vulnerable than other women I had met in my life.

As I watched her walk away from me, I felt the sudden urge to go up to her, to get a closer look at her face and stare into her eyes up close.

Even though, I was struck by her angelic beauty, I knew her name immediately.

I had known the name of every member of her family to this day. She girl was the lone sister of Jesse James. As I continued to look after her from afar, I vowed to myself that I would win her over, like I had tried with Jesse's other siblings.

She would not only be won over by me, but belong to me. This lovely girl would learn to see the man behind the "coward" people had claimed me to be for the past five years.

I had lost too many people in my life. Now that I felt a burning connection to this woman, I vowed to myself that she was the one I wanted to love and care for.

And the woman I wanted was no other than Jesse James' little sister, Laura James.

I knew that I needed her and she would be mine.

Chapter 3: What Must Be Done  
Laura's POV:

I stood backstage watching Charley and Bob Ford perform their weekly show, my heart pounding with slight excitement as I observed the men in their routine.

In particular, I couldn't help but frown and feel the sensation of flaming anger burn though my veins at the sight of Bob standing up from his sitting position. Quickly turning my head away, I heard him click the trigger of his gun, aiming to the back of his older brother's head. I'd watched this scene enough times to memorize the pattern these men had performed.

I had only recently been hired as an emergency understudy, but I had never been needed as of yet. Ever since I had heard of my brother's death, I knew I had to run and escape from Missouri. Therefore, I ended up living in Colorado, working as a mediocre actress in order to make a living for myself.

The shattering gunshot destroyed my thoughts as I snapped my head up to see Charley falling to the ground and Bob standing with confidence, bathing in the warm, bright spotlight. The small pistol whirled in his hand as the man declared to the silent audience, "And that's how I killed Jesse James."

The horrendous sound of clapping filled my ears as I groaned to myself. I couldn't understand how these people would pay their hard earned money to view such an atrocious act of cowardice and betrayal.

I looked up toward Charley and Bob only to catch of a pair of blue eyes staring right at me.

Robert Ford's eyes were on me, watching with every kind of emotion a human could feels. Anger, confusion… fascination?

The feeling to look away from his burning gaze overwhelmed me as I thought possible of the idea that Bob Ford could have any attraction to me, the little sister of the man he had idolized.

The way he stared at me made me feel nervous, but I couldn't help but find myself looking into his own eyes. They were a blue color with a sort of fiery intensity to them as he looked at me, but they also held a kind of beauty and youthfulness that my heart found intriguing.

I never recalled seeing such eyes before…

Charley came up behind Bob, tapped him on the shoulder and said something that I couldn't hear. Both of them started walking toward backstage where I was standing.

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt the urge to run away to the nearest exit. Instead, I walked away from the approaching men as calmly as I could. As I continued walking to my small dressing room, I felt a large hand gently grab my own and stop me from going any further. I gasped in shock, and as I turned around to see who it was, my stomach twisted with nauseating fright with a hint of fury.

It was Bob Ford who had grabbed my hand.

It was the first time I truly saw him up close. He was no doubt one of the most handsome men I had ever laid eyes on, but I did my best to ignore that fact as I mentally questioned what he would want with me. His sapphire eyes looked at my face, with a bit of concern for scaring me, but they maintained a kind of determination that had me wondering what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry, miss. I apologize if I startled you." He nodded his head slightly in respect to me, still keeping a gentle grip on my hand. I could barely see my little hand in the grasp in his large, strong one, but I kept my eyes on his face to keep focus on the reason he was speaking to me.

Bob' voice was somewhat soothing and velvet as he spoke, as I had never heard him talk that way onstage. He was probably trying to keep from frightening me further that way.

"I don't believe we've met before. My name is Robert Ford." He raised my hand to his lips and tenderly planted a kiss on my knuckle.

It took me a moment to find my voice, but I managed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ford. I know very well who you are. In fact, all of America knows your name."

He fidgeted slightly and grinned, his eyes lighting up as if he enjoyed the sound of my voice.

"I'm Laura James. Wh- what do you want with me, sir?" I asked him timidly, wishing he would let go of my hand.

"Well, I just didn't recognize you from anywhere around here, so I just thought I'd introduce myself." I got the feeling that wanted to do more than an introduction, but I attempted to keep up my polite façade.

"What is your job here exactly, Miss James?"He asked me in that same calm voice that made me feel soothed and wary simultaneously.

I didn't want to answer that question, especially since it was slightly embarrassing, but I ignored the refusal inside me.

"I don't really do anything important. I'm just an understudy for the main actress that works here. I haven't actually had anything to do since I've been here, but I'm always welcome to watch the shows from backstage."

He finally released my hand from his as I looked up to meet his eyes again. Then, I felt his fingers move under my chin to tilt my head up for me to look at him.

I saw a sensation of tenderness and slight anger in his lovely eyes as he whispered to me in his soft voice. "Well, Miss James, if you ever need anybody, don't be afraid to come to me with anything. I'll be able to give you whatever you wish for."

His hand moved from under my chin to my cheek, his fingertips gently tracing over the skin. I shivered involuntarily while I felt his hand leave my face. He placed his black hat back onto his head as he stared at my face again.

"It was an honor to meet you, Miss James. Let me know if you ever need anything." He grinned at me again and turned away from me, walking back towards where Charley was talking to the manager.

I reached behind me to open my dressing room door, walking inside before I nearly collapsed from confusion and nervousness.

Why had he touched me like that? It was as if he had fallen for me something. I sat down by my small vanity mirror and told myself that I was just over-reacting. He was only being a gentleman… right?

Little did I know that it would not be the last time I would encounter the infamous Robert Ford…

Chapter 4: Song for Bob  
Bob's POV:

Charley and I were talking with John, the theater manager, to review the profits for tonight's show and how much we would earn. I tried my best to pay attention, but all I could think about was Miss Laura James.

How long has she been working here?

When did she move to Colorado?

Have they been treating her well here?

John's voice became a blur to me as I thought of other questions I wanted to ask him about Laura. As soon as he stopped speaking, I cleared my throat to get his attention.

"John, could I please speak to you for a minute?"

He nodded his head and patted me on the shoulder. "Sure thing, son. Let's talk over here."

We walked over to the door of my dressing room. I looked back over my shoulder and saw Charley removing the faux beard and mustache he wore to portray Jesse James. He looked up at me and I saw a look of confusion and fierce curiosity in his eyes.

I ignored it and continued following John to my dressing room. We finally arrived inside it and I quietly shut the door behind us.

John was the first to speak. "Well, Bob, what's going on? I saw you chatting it up with that pretty little understudy of ours. Have you seen something that's caught your little heart, Bobby?" He chuckled heartily in his deep voice.

As he talked, I removed my black hat, jacket, and gently wiped the make-up from my face. Once I finished, I grinned to myself and shrugged at him, pretending to be nonchalant.

"Well, sir, I suppose I might be expressing some interest. But, I was wondering if you could tell me some things about Laura James."

John raised his eyebrows at me as if he thought I was crazy.

"Son, why do you suddenly want to know about her? She's just a little novice, foolish child. Why do you think she has a nearly useless job as an understudy? I know for a fact that she is nothing special."

I felt the sudden urge to punch him hard in the mouth, but I managed to hold back. All I could do was glare at him murderously. How dare he talk about my Laura like that?

John turned away from me to light a cigarette as I attempted to calm down from my unexpected surge of anger.

"Well, Bob, you do know that she is the young sister of the man you killed, right?"

I nodded my head in response. "Yes, sir, I know that fact very well. Now are you going to tell me what you know about her or not?" I asked urgently, irritation creeping into my voice.

John sighed and finally gave me what I asked for.

As it turned out, after I shot Jesse James, the aftermath of his death had become too much for her to bear. Laura had left her parents at the tender age of sixteen and wound up in the state of Colorado in her desperation to get away.

John had taken her in as an understudy after recognizing her from pictures of the James family and was struck by her youthful innocence, but he never felt that she possessed any true acting talent.

"Bob, if you become involved with her, there could be serious consequences for the both of you."

I smirked like a cocky teenager at his ridiculous statement. I had no desire to harm Miss James, so how would something between us cause any trouble?

Placing my hat back on top of my head, I thanked John for the information and headed home to my apartment. I didn't bother saying goodnight to Charley; my mind was filled with too much to think straight.

It failed to bother me that Laura was only eighteen years old, seven years younger than my prime age of twenty-five. The fact that many people still considered her to be a child made me want to protect and worship her much more so than I had with Jesse.

To me, however, she would be viewed as a woman. In order to say the truth, I knew why I was feeling this way. I was lonely, wanting to be loved, and to have what I was forbidden to possess. Just like I wanted to be Jesse James, to be a hero.

Now, I wanted his sister to be mine, which was a sinful idea that made my skin crawl with delight and desire.

I barely remembered going home while thinking about these things until I walked through my apartment door. Throwing my hat and jacket to the floor, I sat myself down at the small wooden table, burying my face in my hands.

The image of her beautiful face ran itself over and over in my mind. Insane ideas spoke themselves aloud in my head, ideas of how I could connect with Laura. Ever since she came to Colorado, she had nothing and nobody to help her.

I would show her that I would be able to provide and care for her. She would learn to look past what I did to her brother. I would finally have the affection my soul had sought after for years.

The next thing I knew, a pencil and white paper lay before me as I began to draw her face, wanting to keep it in my memory until I saw her again. After sketching every single feature of her face, I thought of the perfect name for the portrait of my beauty.

Laura Ford.

Chapter 5: Hands Clean  
Laura's POV:

After I had given myself some time to calm down my worrisome thoughts, I decided to head to the little rundown apartment that I called home.

The fact that I was able to have a home here made me feel secure in this small town of Creede, Colorado. Even though I had been here for two years, I still felt like a misfit to everyone, like nobody of importance.

However, people still noticed me because of my lack of being accompanied by a gentleman like every other girl around my age. Sometimes, I'd be walking down the street and the sounds of whistling and hollering from rude men never failed to make me feel exposed and uncomfortable.

Those were the times where I wished I had a young man at my side to guard me and make me feel protected. When I had left my family in Missouri, I came with only some portable possessions. Even though Jesse and I had never been real close, it still broke my heart that I would never see him again.

As soon as I wrapped my cloak tight around me, I finally exited the theater building and walked down the dark cobblestone street. I didn't come with a large amount of money when I left home, so I couldn't afford to take a carriage.

The cool night breeze blew my long, brunette hair around my face as I felt a sudden chill flow down my spine. Music and raucous laughter were coming from the nearby tavern. I tended to avoid that area in order to elude the drunken men who wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a young girl walking alone at night.

Walking faster down the street, I finally reached my apartment building, relief flowing through my tired body. I was grateful for my small apartment room to stay in, even though it was because the landlord was crazy about me when I first came to this town.

When I walked through the door to my room, exhaustion began to sink in as I changed into my white nightgown.

I snuggled under the covers of my tiny bed, attempting to find some sleep. However, more thoughts about my encounter with Robert Ford ran through my mind.

Why had he looked so enchanted by me when it was our first meeting with each other?

I struggled to find some answers as I tried to remember any details from earlier.

He way Bob stared at me from onstage as if I was some angel he wanted to worship…

The feeling of his soft lips against my hand as he gently cradled it in his own large hand…

I couldn't deny that it felt soothing when he touched me, but there was no way on this Earth that I would become attracted to my brother's killer.

My brain became numb as I drifted to sleep and dreamt of the man who haunted me against my wishes.

I was standing in the middle of nowhere, nothing but darkness surrounding my view. Feeling scared, I covered my eyes with my hands.

Then, I felt his hands gently take mine away from my face. Robert Ford stood behind me, his strong arms wrapped around my upper body, holding me protectively.

Tears began to well in my eyes while I kept them closed, but I felt my hands come up and enfold themselves around one of his arms that held me to him.

I finally opened my eyes and saw that we were standing in a well-furnished apartment. Still standing behind me, Bob whispered in his unusually velvet voice. "You don't have to be scared of me, Laura. I would never hurt you."

How could I believe that he really meant what he was telling me?

Feeling pathetic, I started to cry. Bob gently shushed me and stroked my hair with his long fingers

"Shh… it's going to be okay, sweetheart. Come here, I want to show you something."

He released his arms from around me and took my hand. Leading me to his room, he walked with a slightly nervous gait.

We stopped in front of roundish shape that was covered with a sheet. Bob reached over and yanked it off to show me what was underneath.

A lump formed in my throat as I nearly screamed at what I saw. It was a mannequin of me, with my flowing brown hair, bright blue eyes, and pale face. But it was what the statue was wearing that frightened me. A thin veil sat atop its head while the rest of it wore a beautiful wedding gown embedded with lovely crystal and diamond material in the silken fabric.

My legs felt wobbly and I couldn't breathe.

Robert came up next to me and whispered in my ear what I was most afraid of him saying.

"I'm in love with you, Laura James."

At last, my body couldn't take any more and I collapsed toward the ground.

Before I could hit the floor, my vision went black again, but I felt his arms catch me.

Robert Ford scooped me up into his arms as if I weighed no more than a feather. I wanted to struggle, but I couldn't move or speak. My body was cradled gently to his chest.

He carried me to what I assumed was his bed and softly laid me on it. I felt a warm blanket cover me as my eyes remained stubbornly closed. His hand stroked along my cheek as he whispered to me before my nightmare shattered my psyche.

"You aren't going anywhere, darling. You're staying with me where you belong."

Chapter 6: Apologize  
Bob's POV:

I was sitting on the sofa in my apartment, reading a book, not really paying attention to the words on the page. Right then, I heard something I didn't expect to hear since I was alone.

It sounded like a girl, crying or whimpering. Confusion filling my mind, I got up from the sofa and turned the corner from where the sound was coming toward me.

There I found her, huddled up in the corner against the wall. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and she looked up at me. I nearly gasped when I saw her face.

Laura's lip was bleeding and she seemed to have a faint black eye.

"R…Robert." She stuttered my name, her voice choking up with sobs. My heart broke at the sight of her being so helpless and vulnerable.

I walked slowly toward her, trying to avoid scaring her. Kneeling in front of her, I took her face into my hands with as much tenderness as I could manage.

Gently wiping the tears from her eyes, I enfolded my arms around her in an embrace I never wanted to leave.

Laura sobbed into my shoulder with me holding her small body in my arms. Soon, her crying ceased and she became still, appearing to have fallen asleep.

I smiled to myself and carefully gathered her into my arms, positioning her head to rest on my shoulder. As I carried Laura to my bedroom, I leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I am sorry for what I did, Laura. Now, my only hope is that you will allow me to take care of you. I can give you anything in the world that you desire."

Admittedly, I felt silly talking to an unconscious person, but it was better than holding those feelings in. Finally, we made it to my bed, which I softly laid Laura on; making sure her head was comfortably on the pillow.

Grabbing a woolen blanket from the edge of the bed, I covered her with it so she wouldn't be cold.

Then, I walked over to the other side of the bed and lay down beside her, putting one of my arms around her waist to pull her close to my chest.

I gazed down at her sleeping face and raised my fingers up to trace her chin. Then, I looked further down and noticed something strange on her neck. Two scars were embedded in the middle of the skin on her throat, appearing to have been there for many years. I leaned down and pressed my lips to them, savoring the feel of her flesh against mine.

"You are the only one who can save me now, my sweet Laura."

I woke in a cold sweat, feeling absolutely wonderful and confused at the same time. Wondering what time it was, I looked out my bedroom window and saw the sun slowly rising in the east.

Pulling myself out of bed, I hurriedly dressed and headed out the door. On my way over to the theater, I decided to stop and buy some flowers for Laura, hoping to show her that I was interested in getting to know her better. When I arrived, I immediately began searching for her.

At last, I saw her dressing room door that stood wide open. Slowly walking to it, I knocked first, holding the bouquet of flowers behind my back. I looked up and saw her sitting in front of her mirror, arranging her lovely brown hair into a braid.

She looked up when she spotted my reflection. Laura turned to me with a startled and somewhat afraid look in her eyes.

"Good morning, Laura. How are you this morning?" I still kept the flowers hidden behind me.

Her lovely blue eyes shone with suspicion. Did she think I was concealing a gun behind me? Certainly not!

"I am doing just fine, Mr. Ford." She tilted her head sideways, trying to see what was behind my back. "What are you hiding there?" She asked me, her brow furrowed.

Smiling at her, I pulled the blue flowers from behind me to show her. Her eyes went wide with surprise, but she stood up and took theminto her small hands.

"I thought you might like these to decorate your dressing room with." I chuckled, feeling nervous for the first time in years.

"Thank you, Mr. Ford. These are quite beautiful."

Not as beautiful as you, I wanted to say to her. Removing my hat from my head, I grinned sheepishly at her. "Please, call me Robert or Bob."

"Thank you, Robert." She said, looking up at me. I felt a thrill of happiness at the sound of her saying my name.

"Miss Laura, I feel like we got off the wrong foot yesterday. I don't want you to be frightened of me because of what I did, and I have no desire for any harm to come to you."

She stared at me intensely, probably feeling conflicted and confused about what I was saying.

"What I'm trying to say is that I feel like I want to get to know you better. If you give me a chance to explain myself, I can guarantee that you'll get the answers you want."

"What are you saying, Robert? I don't understand." She asked quietly.

"W…would you like to join my brother and me for dinner tonight?"

Chapter 7: Fever  
Laura's POV:

I stared at Bob, a bit thrown off by his sudden invitation to dinner with him and his brother, Charley. He kept looking at my face for a response, his eyes seeming to crumble in disappointment at my silence.

Gazing down at the lovely blue flowers in my hand, I slowly nodded my head. "Sure, Robert. I would love to accompany you and Charley to dinner tonight."

His eyes seemed to visually light up with glee as he smiled like a little boy on Christmas morning. "Thank you, Laura. Charley and I will make sure you're satisfied. Do you want to me to escort you to the restaurant, tonight?" He asked me, clutching his black hat to his chest nervously.

I felt myself blush at his offer to take me there; no man had ever offered me anything like that before. So, I felt naturally obliged to accept.

"Um… if that's what you feel you should do, Robert. I don't really have a problem finding my way around here, though."

"It would be my pleasure to take you there myself, Laura. I know that the streets can be dangerous at night."

I sighed, finally giving up on making my own way through town. "Well, why don't you pick me up at 8 o'clock?"

Robert smiled slightly at me and nodded his head in agreement. "Eight o'clock, it is then." He walked closer to me slowly, and I saw the light in his blue eyes fade into a gentler and calm color of medium blue. My heart unwillingly skipped a beat as he took my hand in his, raised it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on my fingers.

"I'll see you tonight, Miss James." He turned away from me and walked out of the room, closing my door behind him.

Shakily setting the flowers down onto my vanity table, I set myself down in front of my mirror, trying to fix my jumbled thoughts.

Why had accepted his invite to dinner when I barely knew the man at all?

While he had been exceptionally kind to me, I also had to remind myself that this was Robert Ford, the man who killed my brother.

Not to mention I remembered the nightmare I had about him recently as if it had truly happened to me.

Oh, how I remembered it all…

The sound of his soft, smooth voice in my ear…

The sight of me in a wedding gown, a perfect picture of how he would want his bride to be…

The secure feeling of lying in his arms as he carried me to his bed…

Yet, this was the first time I had ever been pursued like this. Besides my father and brothers, I couldn't recall any man talking to me or asking me questions.

I couldn't deny how the feeling of a man courting me made me excited about the possibilities.

If Robert really was romantically interested in me, what would people say? He could have any woman he wanted and yet he desired me.

Nevertheless, I had already told Bob that I would have dinner with him and Charley, and I had been raised to keep my promises.

I would just have to wait until tonight to see how it worked out.

Yet, I couldn't hold back the thought that the way he looked at me, spoke to me, was different than how he interacted with other people.

Why couldn't decide whether I should fear him or be drawn to him.

Maybe, in a way, I was attracted to Robert Ford. But that would cause consequences for both of us. What if he just wanted to have his way with Jesse's little sister? What would I do then?

What if my nightmare came true and he really wanted me for himself?

Would he ever hurt me? I felt like a scared child again, but there was nobody here to comfort me. I would have to endure this on my own.

Chapter 8: Animal I Have Become  
Bob's POV:

After a long, monotonous day of working on the stage, it was finally time for Charley and me to prepare for our evening with Laura. My heart had been pounding constantly all afternoon, but I was thrilled that she had accepted to join us for dinner. Not to mention that she was allowing me to escort her there.

I couldn't help but be bothered by the fact that Laura had lived here for two years without anyone to protect or care for her. Who knew what kinds of sick idiots were out there on the streets, waiting for a lady as beautiful as my Laura to cross their path, to take her precious virtue like the monsters they were? As I sat in my apartment room, thinking things over, I tried to mentally sort out my feelings for her.

Tying my black tie around the collar on my dress shirt, I gazed down at the numerous pictures I had drawn of her. All of them were drawn in pencil; most of them were full-length body images of her. While I had sketched the pictures, I imagined how it would feel to actually hold her in my arms, to feel the warmth of her small arms around me in contentment.

One portrait in particular caught my eyes as I stared at it. Laura stood up straight, her long hair flowing down to the middle of her back. Only, her clothes were different. A lovely, white wedding gown clothed her body while a long, linen veil hung around her face, faintly masking it from view. It suddenly became clear to me where my fixation with Laura had lead to.

I was becoming obsessed with this woman that I barely knew at all, yet every time I saw her, I had to fight the urge to take her away from everyone else, from the world only as she knew it.

I had a foot on both sides on the fence, standing between infatuation and obsession. I couldn't move or jump. All I could do was wait until I split… right down the middle. (AN: This paragraph is a reference to a line of Lou's in 'Killer Inside Me')

The sun began to set, so it was almost time for me to leave and take Laura to the restaurant. Wait a second…

Just as I thought of that, a sudden idea occurred to me, leaving me to wonder why I didn't think of it earlier. I would wait for the perfect opportunity to take her. I would make her see how I felt about her, that she needed me. As far as I knew, she didn't know that many people here, so I doubted she would turn up missing around Creede. But, she just had to see that we were meant to be together.

All I would ask in return was that she stayed with me. As the man who loved her, I wouldn't deny her anything she wanted.

If she wanted to elope and run away from Creede, I would get the train tickets just to see her smile. Should she desire the most beautiful dresses and jewelry, she would have all of the expensive items from her favorite stores.

All I would ask was to see her lovely form standing in front of me, to hear her sweet voice in my ears. If she would be with me, I would be the happiest man alive.

Now, as I struggled to compose myself, I shrugged into my tuxedo jacket, placing a velvet black hat onto my head. Satisfied with my presentable reflection in the mirror, I started toward where Laura's apartment building was located.

Soon enough, I was able to find the door to her room. After knocking a couple of times, I fixed the collar of my jacket, waiting for her to open the door. Then, there she stood before me, a true angel without wings.

Her hair was in a bun, with one of the blue flowers from her bouquet pinned into the brunette strands. Her blue eyes seemed more radiant in comparison to the flower in her hair. She wore a lovely turquoise dress the shimmered all the way down her small body. I wanted so badly to sweep her into my arms and carry her to my apartment, to tell her of my love her, but I knew now was not an appropriate time for that.

"Good evening, Laura. Are you ready to go?" I couldn't help but smile at her inquisitive expressions; as if she was wondering what I was going to do next.

"Um… yes, Robert. I… I'm ready." She sounded nervous and it worried me. She had no reason to be scared. Don't be afraid, darling. I would never let anything happen to you, my mind told her inside my head.

"Well, shall we go then, my dear?" I put on my best charming smile, holding my hand out for her to take.

Laura's blue eyes pierced mine with hesitation, like she didn't know if she should do it. She drew out her arm, reaching toward my hand, and then she suddenly stopped, flinching her hand away.

"Its okay, Laura. Nothing will happen to you, I promise." I whispered gently to her. She stared deeply into my eyes, searching for some sign that I was lying to her.

Her eyes softened and for a split second, I thought that I saw a hint of tears in her eyes. Before I could clearly see the tears, she blinked them away and reached for my hand again.

Her fingers wrapped around my hand, with her palm gently pressed against mine. I enfolded my hand around her in a subtly protective way, my heart racing at the tenderness with which we were touching each other.

As we walked down toward the streets, millions of thoughts ran through my head. Soon, Laura would see the true nature of my infatuation with her. I was prepared for this, and nobody would be able to stop me from coming into her life.

Not Charley… not even Laura herself. Jesse James' sister would become Robert Ford's bride.

Chapter 9: Uninvited  
Laura's POV:

Bob led me further down the dimly lit street, gently gripping onto my hand. My other hand held the skirt of my dress to prevent me from tripping over my feet. As we walked, he would occasionally steal a quick glance at me, smiling in a calm manner, as if he were silently praising my appearance.

Robert himself looked quite dashing with his black hair neatly slick, dressed in a black suit that emphasized the lean, but surely strong muscles in his arms and chest. This man gave off an aura of a polished prince from a foreign kingdom in his dapper suit and wealthy demeanor. I couldn't help but feel more intimidated than before by this strange man.

I unconsciously tried to adjust the flower pinned in my hair, not paying attention to where I was walking. Suddenly, I felt my shoe catch onto an upturned cobblestone, causing me to lose my balance. Right before I could hit the ground, Robert's arms caught me, holding my body up while my feet were struggling on the slippery street.

Looking up to see his reaction, I saw his fiery blue eyes in the faint darkness, boring into mine with concern and almost childlike fascination as he stared at me. The cool air around me mixed with the warmth of his breath as I trembled at the forbidden sensation of being this close to him. He slowly reached up toward my face and very gently swiped away a stray piece of brunette hair that had fallen from the flower I had adjusted into my bun.

"I'm sorry, Robert. I guess I should've watched where I was going." I mentally cursed myself as he helped me back to my feet.

"Don't worry about it, Laura. It happens to everybody." To my surprise, he wrapped his arm tenderly around my waist. I looked up to see him smiling at me in an admiring way, causing me to turn my face away from him in order to hide my blush.

Despite my mixed feelings about Robert Ford, I was still a teenage girl with hormones that included being attracted to handsome men like him, no matter how dangerous he might have been.

"We're almost there. Let's just hope Charley will behave himself tonight." He scoffed and smirked to himself.

"What do you mean? What's wrong with Charley?"

"Well, let's just say that he's been spending too much time with gypsies. He discovered that he had tuberculosis a few years ago and they promised to find numerous cures for him with their strange potions and otherworldly remedies."

We now stood at the front entrance of the restaurant, and my hands began to shake from the shivers flowing through my body. Wrapping my arms around myself, I took a deep breath and followed Robert inside.

It was the most glorious room I had ever laid eyes on. Everywhere there were bright lights and chandeliers hanging from the painted ceilings, soft violin music coming from the small stage near the back. Men and women in exquisite suits and gowns, showing off their possessions, making me out of place in this new world.

Robert waved over to a man with medium brown hair and a somewhat friendly face, sitting at a lone tale. It was none other than Charley Ford.

He seemed to be glad to meet me, and we somehow managed to keep conversations throughout the meal. However, we avoided talking about one subject that I mentally declared forbidden to be brought up while I was here among these two men.

Jesse James…

I would occasionally catch Bob staring at me among the candlelight and it made me feel uneasy, yet at the same time flattered that a man as widely known as Robert would gaze at me like I was some goddess. Charley would act like a teasing flirt, planting exaggerated kisses on my hand when Bob introduced us, much to his brother's annoyance.

After a few hours of eating, exchanging embarrassing childhood stories, and the men drinking wine, I decided that it was time for me to get home. As we exited the restaurant, Charley exchanged a meaningful glare at Bob, something I couldn't quite interpret between the two men. When Robert took me outside, we saw that it had begun to rain.

"Well, can we take a carriage to my apartment, Robert, if it's not too much trouble?" I asked him in a small voice.

He smiled softly at me and hailed a coach for us a few minutes later. It had been years since I had traveled in a carriage, and it felt nice to be able to relax and listen to the rain against the roof of the coach.

Soon, we arrived back to the front door of my apartment, slightly soaked from the rain.

"Well, thank you for inviting me over dinner, Robert. That was probably the most food I've had in the past two years." He frowned at my statement, but stayed silent, holding his hat against his chest.

"I hope you enjoyed your time with us, Laura." His blue eyes lit up as he grinned at me, chuckling to himself.

As silence fell between us, I saw him lean closer to me, slowly enfolding one arm around waist, pulling me close to his chest. His eyes held mine in a tender gaze, as if he were hypnotizing me with them.

Then, he leaned down and very gently, pressed his lips to my forehead. My breath caught in my throat as his lips left my skin and he stroked his hand along my cheek with great care.

He whispered to me in his soothing, sensual voice. "Good night, my beautiful Laura."

Chapter 10: Everything Burns  
Bob's POV:

As the days went by, I prepared my apartment for Laura, buying all the most beautiful dresses and jewelry I could find. If I was going to keep her with me, I had to make sure that she had everything she needed to ensure her satisfaction. I wanted her to have all the things she dreamed of possessing her whole life.

Almost every evening, I would stock my extra closet with dressing gowns, camisoles, and long-sleeved nightgowns for her clothing. But, only one other dress stood out from among the rest. Near the back of the closet, wrapped in a bag of protective material, there hung a shimmering, white wedding dress embroidered with glittering diamonds and the softest silk any woman would die to wear upon her body. I knew the second I saw that dress in the shop window that it was only for her. She would look like an immortal angel in that dress, her lovely face clouded behind the veil that came with it. It was only made for her body, small and pale, young and innocent of mind.

However, that didn't mean that I kept myself away from Laura herself. Every morning, I would stop by her dressing room to greet her, trying to make her more comfortable around me. She would learn to forgive me for what I had done to Jesse, for I knew that was the reason she seemed careful around me, but I was determined to show her how I felt, even if it was in a subtle manner. I recalled the night after she joined Charley and me for dinner, how I had called her "my sweet Laura." At least she now had a slight idea to how I desired for her to be mine.

For now, I struggled to focus on the stage, sitting in my chair before the silent audience, with Charley dressed in his Jesse masquerade. He repeated the outlaw's final words, but I sensed that something had changed in my brother's portrayal of my former idol, but I couldn't place my finger on it. As I stood up from the chair, I was well aware of Laura's presence backstage, witnessing a recreation of the act that destroyed her connection to her family.

I could feel her eyes on me, filled with pain, but not before I saw Charley turn his head away from the dusty picture to glare at me. My heart was encased with an icy sensation of rage and my blood boiled to a fiery degree within my veins. Trying to keep my temper under control, I raised the pistol and cocked the trigger. That was when I heard it…

"Murderer! Cur! Coward!"

A male voiced yelled out from the audience, just daring to increase my anger. Placing the pistol into my belt, I walked up to the end of the stage. "You want to investigate my courage? Do you?" I roared out toward whoever had dared to humiliate me like this. When nobody responded, I shouted ferociously. "Well, find out! FIND OUT!"

Once again, only silence became my answer. I smirked to myself as I realized that the whole audience was a coward for failing to respond to my question. Slowly turning away from them, I resumed my previous position and aimed at Charley once more. Suddenly, a hard, gray object was thrown onto the stage near my feet accompanied by another shout of "coward". Too angry to comprehend on what it was, dropped the pistol to the floor and leapt off the stage. As soon as I landed, all I could see was the color of red as I grabbed man nearest to me and punched him with all the strength I had. Shouts and screams filled the room as the man's face became bloodied and bruised. Then, I felt two arms grab me from behind as my burning rage consumed my entire being. I instantly resisted their restraint and turned on them, punching that man in the process.

I looked up to the stage to see Charley sitting in my chair, calmly smoking a pipe. Looking over to the right of the stage, I saw Laura staring at me, tears flowing down her face. Her chest rose up and down with quick gaps of breath as her eyes filled with fright and confusion. Finally, her mouth opened as she screamed at me. "Robert, stop this, please!"

As I stared at her, the blinding redness faded from my eyes and calmness gradually returned to my body. I knew immediately that I had frightened her with this public display of violence. Soon, the shouts ceased around me as I gasped for breath. Ignoring the startled stares of the audience, I turned to the man I had punched and softly whispered to him. "Nobody… calls me a coward, sir."

Then, I was aware of the numerous glares from the people around me. I knew my occupation in the theater business was done. As I began to walk toward the side exit door, I cast one last look at Laura, attempting to say with my eyes that I didn't mean to scare her. She only buried her face in her small hands in response.

I stomped out of the theater building and made my way around to the back exit, fingering the tiny container of sleeping powder in my jacket pocket. I had stolen it from Charley's stash of drugs from the gypsies last night and planned to use it on Laura at the right time. As far as I was concerned, that time was tonight.

Finally, I made my way to my dressing room door, looking for Laura. I knew that she always kept a glass of water on her vanity table to keep herself going for the day. After creeping over to her dressing room, I saw that it was empty, but spotted the water right next to her mirror. I pulled out the drug from my pocket, and poured it into the clear liquid, watching the powder fade and disappear into the life-giving substance.

I quietly snuck out of the room and back to my own dressing quarters to wait for her. Soon enough, there she was, her cheeks stained with dried tears. As she entered her room, I snuck over to hide behind her door. I watched as she raised the glass to her lips and drank the water, every single drop of it. When she swallowed the portion of it, she slumped down into her chair, her breath slowed and her head drooped, slowly, but surely.

I tried to listen for any voices nearby, but there were none that I could hear. Silently crossing the room to her limp form, I tilted her head with her chin to be sure that she was asleep. She groaned softly and her eyes slightly opened to look at me. Her tired eyes closed again as she slumped once more. Satisfied that the drug worked, I gently slid my arms underneath Laura and lifted her up, cradling her to me as if she were a precious child.

Laura seemed to fit perfectly in my arms, and that filled me with a rare joy as I laid her head to rest on my shoulder, wanting to make her comfortable. Yes, I knew that I was being desperate, especially considering that I had caused her to fear me just moments before. Soon, darkness surrounded us as I walked away from the building with my future bride in my arms where she belonged.

"I'm prepared for this Laura. I know that all I've been given is this one opportunity and you can bet that I won't spoil it." I whispered in her ear, hoping that she could hear me. My angel continued to sleep as I carried her away from her world to start a whole new life… to live with me forever.

Chapter 11: Circles  
Laura's POV:

One by one, all my senses returned to me as blackness clouded my vision. My head spun and nausea crept its way into my stomach. I felt myself lying on a soft bed, with the warm fabric covers wrapped around me and my head resting against the most comfortable pillow I'd ever rested upon. As my body slowly awakened from unconsciousness, I became aware of something warm holding my hand and a soft velvet voice in my ear, unnerving my mind.

"Welcome to your new home, darling. Now that I finally have you to myself, you'll never be alone again. I can take care of you and make you the happiest girl in the world, Laura."

Fear overwhelmed me as I recognized that voice, the last one I wanted to hear at that moment. The nerves in my hand felt Robert Ford's hand gently holding it. At last, my body regained the strength to move and my eyes opened to a lovely and well-furnished bedroom that I'd never been in before… except in my nightmare about the him.

I slowly turned my aching head to see Bob at my side, staring at me with adoration and curiosity as I took in my surroundings. He smiled slightly at me as I attempted to sit up, using my arms as support. My head spun again as I groaned, feeling disoriented. Bob's eyes lit with concern as my arms shook while trying to lift myself to sit up. He stood up and enfolded his arms under my back, helping me to lean against the soft pillow.

While I was at a loss for words at the moment, I gazed up at Robert and recalled the horrendous events of last night. Then, in the dim light of the approaching dawn, I noticed his face. His handsome features were covered with fresh scratches from fighting the audience members. For some odd reason, I wanted to reach out and soothe the injuries on his lovely face, to make them go away. But now, all I wanted was to find out why he had taken me here.

"R… Robert…" I stuttered, trying to choose my words carefully in order to not anger him. "Why have you brought me here?" Warm tears came to my eyes as I tried to figure out any reasons for him stealing me away last night.

He sat down on a stool by the bed while I stared at him, waiting for an answer. His cold blue eyes melted into a warmer flame of color when he saw the tears in my eyes. "Laura, you have to understand that all I want is to give you a better life. All I need from you is your forgiveness. That's all I'm asking for." His eyes shone at me with hope, yet I couldn't help but notice a hint of sadness in them.

What was I supposed to say to that? I looked around the room, attempting to think of a response to what he had just told me.

"Are you hungry, Laura? Shall I fetch you some breakfast?" Admittedly, I did feel hungry and my stomach cried at the thought of fresh, hot food inside it. I nodded my head, not wanting to speak to him. He took hold of my cheek gently in his hand, leaned over and kissed my forehead. My heart began beating itself into a marathon, and the room around me felt sweltering as my captor left the room, closing the door behind him… then I heard the click of a lock outside the door.

He had locked me inside!

I sighed as I choked back another round of tears. Finally, I decided to look around the room for anything that could aid me in a possible escape attempt. On the dressers, there were hairbrushes, perfumes of many fragrances and all kinds of necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, the most beautiful trinkets I'd ever seen. He couldn't have purchased all of these items for me… could he?

Then, I checked the two closets in the room to find one that contained all of his shirts, jackets, hats and belts. After discovering nothing inside of there, I peeked in the other and found about a dozen lovely dresses including evening gowns, nightgowns, and short, thin camisoles to wear on hot summer nights. On the floor of the closet were numerous pairs of shoes that seemed just about my size. Surly, he didn't expect me to accept all these gifts.

As I went through all the dresses, I noticed something hanging in the very back, concealed by a bag of brown material to keep it from getting wrinkled or dirty. What was so important about this dress? Something in my brain told me that I didn't want to know, but with me being curious about everything, I took the bag off the rack, laid it onto the bed and unzipped it to reveal the precious garment. Immediately, my breath became still and my heart froze with fright.

It was a gorgeous white wedding dress, sleeveless with glittering diamonds along the skirt. The dress itself wasn't long in length, just short to fit around my petite frame. My hands flew to my mouth as the nausea returned to me. Sitting myself down on the bed, I tried to compose myself when I heard the door unlock and Robert walked in holding a tray of pancakes covered in syrup and butter. He stopped and slowly set the tray down on the dresser when he saw me sitting by the wedding dress.

"I see that you've found your wedding dress." He came next to me and sat down, running his hand over the glittering skirt. "I think you'll look so beautiful on our wedding day, Laura. Everything you need is all here, including me." He raised his hand and softly brushed a piece of hair away from my cheek. Anger and fear flowed through the entire course of my body, daring to make me reach up and slap him, but I didn't want to make him angry.

Instead, I whispered through my coming sobs. "I'll never marry you, Robert. You can't just keep me here and expect me to accept all this." I waved my arm around the bedroom, indicating all the jewelry, dresses and other gifts he had gotten for me.

As I felt more tears flow down my cheeks, Robert's hands came up and took hold of my face, trying to be gentle with me. His eyes burned with firmness and seriousness and I shivered while looking into them. "Listen to me, Laura James. Ever since you came here, you had nothing; you had nobody to help you. In fact, I'm well aware that you've been alone for the past two years ever since you left your parents, who have not even bothered to write or send you a telegram to see if you were safe." He spoke with a sort of flaming anger in his tone, which I didn't really understand the reason for.

More sobs overwhelmed me as Bob wiped the tears from both of my cheeks. "Laura," His voice became a tender whisper, one of longing and subtle loneliness. "I will never leave you. All I want is your forgiveness for what I have done."

He took my hand in one of his and reached into his pocket with the other. Robert pulled out of his pocket a small, round golden band with tiny crystals all around it.

An engagement ring…

Very gently, he placed the ring onto my finger while my hysterics increased. He wanted me to forgive him for murdering my brother and he wanted me to marry him? I wrenched myself off the bed before he could react, trying to get away from him. "Just stay away from me, Robert, please." I sounded like a child begging to not be punished by her parents.

"Laura, you just need to calm down." Bob stood up from the bed and slowly walked in my direction. I sunk against the wall I was leaning on, sinking to sit pathetically on the bedroom floor. Burying my face in my hands, I sobbed my entire soul out.

I couldn't believe this impossible situation. First, Robert Ford murders my brother after trying to get in his gang of outlaws, and then he kidnaps me and expects me to marry him. Right at that moment, I wished to be dead, to never have to look at Bob again. I was such a fool to allow him into my life in such a short time.

Before I could think any further, I felt his arms under me, lifting my body off the floor. I internally cursed my small body, but couldn't help but feel certain warmth while being in his arms. Not able to bring myself to look at his face, I closed my eyes against him. Then, he sat down on the bed while holding me in his arms like I was a child, a treasure he wanted to protect.

I raised my arms up while I kept my eyes closed, weakly hitting him against his chest. Sobs were choking me, but I managed to mutter into his shirt. "I hate you… I hate you… You're a monster…a coward…" Exhaustion overcame me as I lost the strength to move anymore. Robert continued to hold me in his arms as I if I hadn't said anything, stroking my hair with his fingers. Right before I fell asleep, I felt his warm breath in my ear as he whispered to me, his voice turning into a sort of eerie lullaby.

"You will learn to love me, Laura. We will marry and get out of this crummy old town, just you and me. We can leave the past behind us and start anew with each other. I can give you anything in the world you want. The only thing I can't allow is for you to leave me. You aren't going anywhere, sweetheart."

My mind couldn't take in anymore and I had no choice to sleep in the arms of the man who killed my brother… who ruined my family… and claimed me as his bride. My breathing slowed and the last thing I felt was Robert stroking my cheek with his hand and his lips kissing my hand… the one that wore his engagement ring.

Until death do we part.

Chapter 12: You Fight Me  
Bob's POV:

Laura had fallen asleep in my arms as the sun continued to rise faintly among the thick clouds of the Colorado sky. The soft sound of her peaceful breathing filled the silence of my –our- bedroom as I laid her head down to rest on the pillow. After slowly getting up from the bed, I covered the sleeping girl with my woolen blanket to keep her warm and closed the curtains to the windows so the morning light wouldn't disturb her slumber.

As I gazed down at her again, I noticed that her hair was tied into a ponytail from the night before. If she slept with her hair bunched up, she would've been sure to get a headache. Quietly walking back to the bed, I bent down and very gently lifted Laura's head from the pillow, using one hand to hold her up and the other to pull her hair loose. As I pulled the tie out of her hair, long brunette locks flooded down from her head, almost grazing the pillowcase with the lightest touch.

I couldn't help but smile to myself as I laid her head back down, her hair spreading around the pillowcase. She was so beautiful while she slept.

And here she was, in her new home where she would be taken care of, loved, and forever cherished… by me, the man who wanted to love her.

Laura may have thought that all I wanted to do was keep her in a cage, but in truth, I wanted to keep her where she would be safe and never be lonesome again. And that place was with me…

I knelt by her side as she continued to sleep, looking down at her delicate features. My heart swelled inside my chest, beating a million miles an hour as I raised my hand to touch her face. My fingers traced themselves over her soft, pink lips, reveling in the sensation of touching the angel that lay before me.

After my rapidly beating heart decreased its speed, I leaned down closer to her and pressed my lips to her cheek, gently stroking her hair with my hand.

Now, I had to leave to let her get some sleep, hoping she would calm down from her little tantrum. As I locked the door to the bedroom, puzzling thoughts entered my mind, causing my head to spin. I imagined Laura would be somewhat grateful to me for buying her all those nice things. But, maybe she still had some items at her apartment that she wanted to keep.

I decided that I would stop by Laura's apartment and try to find anything that may have been valuable. Then, perhaps she would reward me with at least one smile. It was the perfect plan to make her happy!

Just as I thought of that, a loud knocking sounded from the other side of my front door. Hurrying towards the sound, I yanked open the door before it could wake Laura and was surprised by who I saw…

My brother Charley…

There he stood, with his arms crossed and his face twisted into an angry and suspicious glare. Before I could say anything to him, he opened his big mouth first.

"All right, Bob. Where is she?" As he asked me that, I stepped outside and closed my apartment door behind us.

"I don't know who you're talking about, Charley." I leaned against the wall casually, looking him straight in the eye.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about, Bob! Do you also want to explain your little outburst at the show last night?"

I scoffed at him like a careless teenage boy at his statement. "Why don't you just get the hell out of here, Charley?"

"You have to understand, Bob. We cannot be involved with anyone in the James family anymore. First you kill Jesse and then you abduct his sister? Are you crazy? Please don't tell me you've set your sights on her."

I just glared at him, my eyes flaming up as I felt the anger inside me rise in my body. "You don't have to be part of it, Charley."

He sighed as he stared in disbelief. "I saw the way you looked at her when we had dinner that night. I've never seen you look at a girl like that in a long time."

His tone of voice sounded as if he understood on some level, yet he didn't want to understand what I was feeling. "Look Bob. You're my little brother and I love you, but you need to know that what you feel for this girl isn't real. If she wasn't related to Jesse, I'm sure you'd have nothing to do with her."

My head darted up as I comprehended what he was saying. He thought my feelings for Laura were shallow… biased. I exhaled loudly, just waiting for him to say one more thing to make me enraged.

"You know deep down that she really means nothing to you." Those words set my rage loose. Before I knew it, my fist suddenly connected with Charley's face, punching him between his mouth and nose. He grunted noisily in pain as he fell to the hard wooden floor.

I stared down at him, fuming, and my chest rising with energy as I saw blood flow toward his lips. My anger faded gradually as I realized what I had done. Charley struggled to his feet, pressing his hand to his face to quell the bleeding.

"Char…Charley… I… I'm sorry…" I slowly walked toward my older brother as I felt tears come to my eyes. He turned away from me and began to walk away.

"You know what? I shouldn't have even come here! I was only trying to protect you, Bob. But, I guess it seems that you're more than capable to doing that yourself. Everyone's right about you. You're nothing more than a coward." With that, he walked further away from me, out of my sight.

I stared after him, startled and appalled at what I had just done. Choking back my sobs, I stumbled back into my apartment, hoping the noise hadn't woken Laura. I peeked into the bedroom and saw her inert figure still sleeping peacefully. Breathing a sigh a relief, I closed the door and headed out of my apartment to gather Laura's belongings.

During the hour-long hunt inside her tiny, one-room apartment, I had found some varieties of trinkets. A few dresses that weren't as fancy as the ones I bought for her, but they were what she had. I found some hand-me-down necklaces and earrings that must have belonged to her mother, including one locket that contained a portrait of the entire James family, brothers and all.

Laura was sure to be happy that I brought all these things back for her.

After I managed to carry everything back to my apartment, I set the things down to see if Laura had woken yet. As I looked around the living area, I noticed a number of white papers were torn and scattered all over the floor. I bent down to see what the pieces were and a lump stuck in my throat.

They were my portraits of Laura!

Dropping the shreds to the ground, I raced to the bedroom and flung the door open to a most shocking sight. The vanity mirror was shattered into numerous pieces of glass and the rest of the room was in chaos. Jewelry was lying on the floor as if they were trash, and perfume bottles lay broken with the fragrant liquids spilled, staining the bedroom rug with many colors.

I looked down to the floor by the bed to see the one thing I feared most and my heart stopped beating for a number of seconds…

Laura lay lifeless on the carpet, blood slowly pouring from her wrists and arms. A scream of shock and anger built in my throat as I ran to her side and tenderly took her into my arms. As I gazed down at her limp body, I saw something else that I didn't want to view in my dark memory…

A jagged shard of glass from the mirror lay in my love's hand…

She tried to kill herself…

Laura, angel, how could you do this to yourself?

I yanked the shard out of her hand and threw it against the wall in my blind anger. Gently taking Laura's wrist into my hand, I felt for her pulse. After ten agonizing seconds, I felt it, even though it was faint, but she was alive.

Determination encased my body as I lifted Laura off the floor and laid her onto the bed. Now, it was time to take care of my future wife as relief filled my heart, but also dread tugged at my mind as I thought of how she had tried to take herself away from me.

She. Was. Not. Leaving. Me.

I would do whatever it took to make her happy here with me.

Chapter 13: Breath  
Laura's POV:

I heard nothing but silence as I heard him close the bedroom door, only this time, there was no sound of the lock outside. Yes, I'm free! I thought to myself like a giddy child after being released from school. I had been awake for a few minutes since some ruckus outside the apartment woke me from my haunted slumber. Then, when I heard his footsteps walking back inside, I feinted being asleep in order to put my plan into motion.

After I heard Bob close the apartment door for the second time, I freed myself from the binding covers, ran to the bedroom door and wrenched it open. My view was composed of a charming room that consisted of a comfortable living room and a tidy kitchen with a wooden table topped with a lovely, white lace tablecloth and accompanied with two ornately carved chairs.

I could only guess who the second chair was meant for…

As I gazed around the room, I saw that there was no sign of life anywhere; nothing but the morning breeze blowing in the outside air. Hope rising in my chest, I raced to the front door and turned the knob. The lock didn't move an inch as my heart dropped despairingly into the depths of my ribcage.

Shaking my head in disbelief, warm tears flooded my vision as Robert's words echoed inside my head.

I know for a fact that your parents have not even bothered to write or send you a telegram to see if you were safe.

Sinking down into one of the kitchen chairs, I realized that he was right. Over the past two years, I had sent my parents countless letters telling them how I was doing on my own, but I never received one reply from them. I had always thought that perhaps they were too busy or the mail post had been delayed, but I knew in my heart that it was because they thought I had abandoned them.

They didn't care. They didn't even know if I was still alive…

I ran my fingers absently over the tablecloth, tracing the fragile lace patterns, when my fingertips encountered something I hadn't expected to touch.

White sheets of paper covered half of the table, blending in with the brightness of the lace cloth. Curiosity overwhelming me, I grabbed one of the sheets and gazed at it to see what was on it. My body froze with shock and fear gripped my insides as my eyes comprehended what they were seeing.

It was a portrait of me, drawn in gray pencil and almost a perfect reflection of my face. My breathing became still as I felt my shaking hands grip more of the papers, my heartbeat increasing as I saw more images of me in different positions.

One of them stood out for me in particular. It was of me stretched across his bed, dressed in nothing but a lovely corset with my hair flowing down and my eyes closed in a peaceful way. I couldn't believe this man would fantasize about me this way!

I had never even been with a man before…

Anger, adrenaline, and other overwhelming emotions coursed through the whole of my body, threatening to make me faint. I fought back that feeling and before I knew what was happening, my hands were tearing themselves into the papers, ripping them into shreds on the carpet.

Of all the girls in the world, Robert Ford had to become obsessed with me…

I screamed as loud as I could out towards the ceiling. All that responded to me was silence…

Nobody was answering me. I couldn't take this anymore. First, Jesse's death destroyed my family, and now I had become the object of affection of the coward responsible for it.

Sobs were closing around my throat, limiting my ability to breathe. I could've cared less as I staggered back to that damned bedroom. I gazed around at all the expensive gifts Robert had bought for me: the perfumes, jewelry, clothes and that horrid wedding gown…

Grabbing the perfume bottles off the dresser, I threw them against the wall with all my strength, watching the glass shatter and the colorful liquids splash with the impact, staining the wall's surface and the white carpet with its colors.

Breathing heavily with energetic anger, I grabbed one of the velvet boxes of jewelry and pulled Bob's engagement ring off my finger, throwing both of them into the vanity mirror. The glass broke into huge chunks of jagged pieces, some of them falling to the floor.

At last, my anger faded into despair as I felt the bedroom walls closing around me. I was suffocating, hallucinating… dying from grief.

And then, I knew I had to die…

Nobody would care, not that they ever had. I fell to my knees in weakness and spotted a large shard of glass from the mirror, glinting in the morning sunlight. Reaching out toward it, I grasped it in my palm, wincing as the sharp edge cut into my skin.

This was the only way to come out of this hellish situation. I knew Robert wouldn't care either. Once he saw my body sprawled on the carpet, he's dump me out to rot on the street. He had no idea what love was, nor was he capable of feeling true affection for someone else.

All he felt for me was childish obsession, an unhealthy fascination with me…

Grasping the shard tighter in my hand, I felt the painful sensation of the edge piercing my wrists. Scarlet blood flowed down my fingertips and onto the carpet. Black spots clouded my blurry vision.

I knew I was dying now… sinking into oblivion.

My head felt light as a feather as strange images invaded my mind. Jesse was staring down at me with a glowing white light shining behind him. His blue eyes bore into mine with the same brotherly tenderness that I faintly recalled from my childhood.

I went to reach out and touch the soft scruff on his cheeks, but when my fingers were inches away from his skin, his face transformed into that of another man.

Robert's eyes met mine, entrancing and menacing. His face was beautiful, even though he seemed enraged and determined as he stared at me.

Finally, all the images vanished into darkness. I sunk deeper into the black water as the air escaped my lungs and the strength left my muscles.

At last, the weight of the darkness smothered me as my exhausted mind died along with my body… and I was gone.

.

.

.

.

My eyes opened to the prison of Robert's bedroom and I knew immediately that this wasn't Heaven. I wouldn't be back here if I was dead. Then, I felt myself lying in his bed again with the heavy comforter trapping me against the soft mattress.

I looked down at my arms and saw them covered with the silken lace of a long-sleeved nightgown. I gasped as I rolled back the sleeves of the nightgown to see my wrists and hands bound in bandages. Then, I saw movement in the far corner of the bedroom.

He stood there, watching me as I evaluated my current condition. I was alive because of him…

I stared at him as he slowly walked toward my bedside, his eyes filled with caution. In his hands, he held a damp rag, wringing it as he reached my side. He gently pressed the rag to my forehead, wiping off the sweat from my brow, his eyes searching my face for any kind of reaction from me.

"What were you thinking, Laura?" His soft voice sounded as if he had been crying. Had he been that upset over my suicide attempt?

To be honest, I had no idea what I had been thinking. It was all just too much for me to handle. I just shrugged at him at him like a child who was in trouble.

"Don't do that again." He gently scolded, although I heard a plea of sadness in his voice, as if he were begging me not to take myself away from him.

I nodded my head, silently thinking that the attempt was wasteful anyway.

Dipping the rag into a bowl of water on the bedside table, Bob sat down on a nearby stool and looked at me with concern. "Would you like something to eat, Laura?"

"Y- Yes, please. I would like that very much." Since I had been too upset to eat breakfast, I had forgotten about the luxury of fresh food.

He smiled at me adoringly as he reached over gently stroked my cheek with his thumb. At that moment, I sighed in contentment as he touched my soft skin. It was a sensation that I knew I shouldn't have enjoyed, but it was brief as his fingers left my cheek and the fire in my veins ebbed into a warm array of embers.

A little while later, he came back with a bowl of steaming soup. It smelled delicious as he sat down by the bed, the aroma of the soup filling my nostrils. I raised my hands to take the bowl, but a fiery pain shot through my wrists as I moved them.

Robert stared at me as I winced until a look of understanding crossed his eyes. He scooted closer to me, holding the bowl in his hands, and then he was eye-level with me. Placing the bowl in one hand and the spoon in the other, he dipped the utensil into the soup, scooping some of it into the spoon.

After blowing on it a few times, he held the spoon toward my lips. Too hungry to really think about it, I opened my mouth and allowed the warm food to enter my body, nourishing it to health. I couldn't believe this! Here was Robert Ford, feeding the little sister of the man he murdered in cold blood.

What a sight that must have been…

I saw Bob smile in a small way each time I ate small portions of the soup. It was as if he enjoyed taking care of me like this. Like a parent would care for an ill child…

Like a loving husband caring for his injured wife…

I stopped myself right there as I thought that. Was I being torn two ways? I couldn't have been. I would never fall for Bob Ford, but the least I could've done was thank him for taking care of me.

As I swallowed the last of the soup, my voice gained the strength to function. "Robert?" I asked him somewhat timidly.

He looked up at me as I acknowledged him, his eyes filled with longing and curiosity. "Yes?" He asked me like he'd be willing to build a whole kingdom to make me happy.

"T- Thank you… for the soup." My voice rose slightly as I looked down at the bed covers instead of looking at him.

Then, his fingers held my chin up for my eyes to meet his, a small smile of hope forming on his lips. "You're welcome, Laura."

Chapter 14: In the Darkness  
Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics from 'Phantom of the Opera'. They are strictly there for reference purposes.

Bob's POV:

I was trying my best to make progress with Laura. Even though she had thanked me for the soup, her eyes still contained a sadness that I didn't want there. I had still yet to see a smile on her lovely face.

After she had eaten, I presented her the belongings I retrieved from her apartment. I hung up her dresses in her closet and gave her the locket I had found with the portrait of her family inside.

"I… I thought you might like this back, Laura." I held the necklace by its chain out for her to take it. The heart-shaped locket glowed in the golden lamplight.

Laura leaned against the soft white pillow on my bed, her bandaged hands folded in her lap. She looked up at me with a wary expression before slowly reaching out and taking it into her hand. She fiddled it with her fingers, the thin chain dangling in the air.

Then, she sniffled and I saw tears form in her pretty blue eyes. Her hand clenched tightly around the locket and she released a small groan of rage. Before I could see it clearly, she sent it flying across the room, throwing it into the bedroom wall with a noisy clang.

I stared at her in shock, wondering what in the world had possessed her to act in such a violent way.

The tears over flowed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks as sobs choked her. I came closer to her at once, grabbing a nearby handkerchief to dab her eyes.

"Laura, what's the matter? What did I do?" I gently wiped her cheeks with the handkerchief and held it in front of her nose for her to blow. She let out a tiny sneeze that I would've found to be quite adorable she hadn't been crying.

"You…you were right, Robert. My parents could care less about where I am. They don't even know if I'm still alive. Ever… ever since I left home, I… I've felt so lost and alone… and scared. Even when I was a little girl, I… felt like nobody of importance. Sometimes, I'd wonder why I was even born…I… I'm nothing, Robert…nothing…"

She buried her face in her hands as the flood of tears racked her body with sobs. I watched her with a heavy heart, empathy flowing through my body. She had a childhood that was similar to mine. I wanted so badly to tell her about why I had killed Jesse…

The humiliation, threats, and the brushes with death…

However, I figured that she wouldn't want to hear all that in the state of mood she was in. Instead, I scooted onto the bed beside her and wrapped Laura into my arms. She buried her face into my shoulder as I allowed her to soil my shirt with her wet tears.

Eventually, the sun began to set as Laura fell asleep against me. When I heard her soft snoring next to me, I softly laid her back on the bed, pulling the covers over the sleeping girl to keep her from getting chilled.

Right before I left the room, I leaned down toward her and kissed her forehead. I wanted so badly to lie in bed next to her, but she probably wouldn't want that yet until she became less fearful of me.

After I closed the bedroom door, I stripped myself of my shirt, lying down exhaustedly across the living room couch. I didn't mind taking the couch while Laura slept in the bed… for now. Soon, we'd be together as one man and woman, doing what Adam and Eve did so long ago.

The next day, I was awakened by the sunlight shining from the curtains. I checked inside the bedroom and found Laura still sleeping soundly. Just then, I heard a thump outside the front door. I discovered that it was the morning paper lying in front of my doorway.

I picked up the paper and went back inside, wanting to see what had happened in the small, boring town of Creede, Colorado. Sitting down on the couch, I opened the paper and gazed at the numerous headlines.

As I skimmed over them, one story in particular caught my eye, causing my heart to stop with disbelief and overwhelming grief as sobs closed around my throat.

CHARLEY FORD FOUND DEAD BY SUICIDE IN APARTMENT

My hands shook and the paper crinkled noisily in my hands as I dropped it to the floor.

No… no… Charley…

I closed my eyes and took deep breaths as voices and words and phrases filled my mind. The taunting, teasings, and ridicule… nobody understood…

Hunted down by everyone

Met with hatred everywhere

No kind words from anyone

No compassion anywhere

As I opened my eyes again, I found myself on my knees, kneeling on the living room carpet. Then, I felt a trembling hand touch my shoulder. I looked behind me in astonishment and found her there, her eyes filled with confusion and pity.

I had left the bedroom door unlocked, but I was too upset to care. Turning around on my knees, I took her tiny, bandaged hands into mine, tears still steaming down my face.

"Laura… why? Why?" I half sobbed and half shouted at her. Sadness overcame me as I wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my face into her stomach. It felt strange actually crying in front of somebody, but that didn't matter.

I could hear her shushing me while her hands stroked my dark hair. I secretly reveled in her touch. To be honest, I couldn't remember being touched like this, even by my own mother.

Was this how it felt liked to be loved by someone? That was all I wanted from Laura, but for now, she was giving me her pity. That was enough… for now.

I looked up at her to see her face staring down at me with sympathy and I felt her hands wipe my tears away from my face.

What was she fixing to do?

Her eyes seemed to whisper to me as I gazed into them, something that I hoped I wasn't imagining.

Pitiful creature of darkness

What kind of life have you known?

God give me courage to show you

You are not alone

Laura's hands continued to caress my face as I saw her lean down closer to me, a sensation of understanding glowing in her beautiful eyes.

Then, I was in heaven as her soft lips touched mine and I experienced the power of love for the first time…

She saw my loneliness

Shared in my emptiness

No one would listen

No one but her

Heard as the outcast hears

Chapter 15: Set the Fire to the Third Bar  
Laura's POV:

I still lay in Robert's bed wearing the lovely white lace nightgown he had dressed me in while I had been unconscious. My eyes wandered around the bedroom that continued to be in ruins with the broken perfume bottles and jewelry strewn all over the carpet.

Initially, I felt ridiculous for the mess I had caused in his bedroom, but I felt that I had the right to be angry. While looking around the room, I noticed my captor's absence. He must have been sleeping in the living room. For some reason, I felt flattered that Bob wasn't taking complete advantage over having me to himself in his apartment. By now, he could have ravaged me over and over and eventually force me into the wretched wedding gown that laid on the bed just a few feet from me.

A freezing chill flew down my spine at the thought of marrying him. Why would he want me?

Another thing I couldn't understand was why he continued to be so kind to me after I practically destroyed his bedroom in my tantrum of rage.

He had also saved me from bleeding to death and fed me like an adult aiding an injured child.

I stared down at the beautiful dress with the skirt sparkling in the morning light. It was admittedly the most gorgeous dress I had ever seen. What I couldn't understand was why Bob would believe that I would actually want to marry him.

As I continued to think that over, I heard the quiet sound of sobbing coming from the other room. My heart thumped slightly in surprise at the realization that it was Bob who was crying. Naturally, I wanted to see why he was crying, so I opened the unlocked bedroom door and found him kneeling on the floor, his face buried in his hands.

His back was to me, so he didn't see me slowly approaching him. I shakily set my hand upon his shoulder so he could sense that I was with him.

He turned around to face me, wet tears streaming down his face. The red of his eyes blended with the blue beauty of his irises. He seemed to be displaying a mixture of emotions and qualities that I hadn't seen before.

He was shocked, overwhelmed, vulnerable, yet I found him to be quite a different man.

Before I knew it, he enfolded his arms around my waist while still standing on his knees, burying his face into my stomach. He kept on sobbing while I quietly shushed him. Right then, all I saw was a scared little boy, not the cold-blooded murderer I thought he was.

Bob raised his head up as I ran my fingers through his dark hair. He gently took hold of my hands in his hands and they felt especially fragile in his strong grip while tied in bandages.

"Laura… why? Why?" He half-shouted and half-cried at me. I gazed down at the carpet and saw the fateful headline in the paper… and my heart broke for the man who killed my brother.

I silently wondered what exactly had caused him to kill Jesse, what kind of life he had lead that made him so lonely that he would kidnap a young girl and want to make her his bride.

Before I could think of any answers, I found my hands gently holding his face, wiping the tears away.

I didn't like seeing him like this, and I didn't know why I even bothered to care.

Why was I not running out the front door to escape?

All I could do for him was provide my pity that he had lost Charley.

Then, my heart overwhelmed the power of common sense as I found myself leaning closer to Robert. I could all kinds of intense emotions in his beautiful eyes as he gazed at me in wonder.

Bob remained on his knees before me, waiting for what I about to do. My mind was screaming at me to run away while I could, but this poor man was broken and alone.

Finally, the heating flames grasped my insides as I gently pressed my lips to his. I wanted to cry in fury at what I was doing. I was betraying my entire family by kissing Robert Ford.

I was panicking, yet a feeling of odd pleasure flooded through my body as I felt Robert stand up and secure my own face in his hands.

His lips moved against mine with a sort of tenderness that surprised me. I could sense a sort of desperation in the he wrapped his arms around me, trapping me against him.

I wanted to push away from him, but I felt weaker as he kept on kissing me. My entire body became overwhelmed me with an intense fire. I was burning from the inside out… I could feel it.

I couldn't be falling for him…

Then, his arms lifted me off the floor to hold me to him, to keep me there.

I wanted to cry out in protest, but his lips kept me from speaking. At last, his mouth freed itself from mine, and I felt my own tears of anger flow down my face. I had kissed Robert Ford and I found myself enjoying it…

He didn't notice as he carried me to the bedroom, and I heard his voice in my ear. "Laura, I need you, and I know that you need me." Robert laid me on his bed and bent down to retrieve something off the floor.

As I watched him from the bed, he sat in his knees and took one of my hands in his. In the other hand, he held his ring much to my surprise.

"Laura, please. I'm begging you. Marry me."

In his eyes, all the sadness of the world

Those pleading eyes that both threaten and adore

While I understood that he cared about me, but the only reason was because I was related to Jesse James.

I couldn't be torn two ways, but this man was both frightening and fascinating to me. Even if I did escape, he would find me, there was no doubt about it.

The image of me clad in a wedding dress entered my mind as my throat became choked up.

His eyes were burning as I shook my head pathetically in defiance. I could see that he wanted me for himself and he would do whatever it took to accomplish that.

The flames in his eyes were firm, yet gentle, not meaning to scare me. I could see in them something that I knew he was saying in his mind, begging for me to be with him.

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime

Lead me, save me from my solitude

Say you want me with you here, beside you

Anywhere you go, let me go too

That's all I ask of you

At last, I whispered to him. "No, Robert. I know you don't really love me. I'm nothing but a prize to you."

He glared at me as I voiced the doubt I felt for his affection for me. Bob exhaled sharply as the fire in his eyes blazed brighter than I'd ever seen them.

"Haven't I proved enough to you how much you mean to me, Laura? I fed you and doctored your wounds while I could have let you die from blood loss." He was angry and I could tell.

He slipped the ring back onto my finger and slowly stood up to tower over me as I lay in the bed. His hands raised themselves to hold my face and his eyes met mine in a sort of trance.

Then, he kissed me again as the fire started in my body. His lips were soft and urgent, as if he were trying his best to show his "love" for me.

Finally, I no longer tasted his lips as I saw him turning away from me. He reached out to open the door as I stared at him, confused.

He turned back to me as he held the door open to leave the room. His eyes were fixed on me, holding my gaze again and I couldn't look away.

At last, he declared to me, his tone fierce with determination. "You will be mine, Laura. Whether you're willing or not."

He left the room then, slamming the door behind him, and the loud sound was followed by the click of the lock outside the door.

I stared at the engagement ring on my finger as my vision became blurry with tears. Desperate confusion overwhelmed me as I took the wedding dress in my hands and cried into it like a child would sob into a blanket.

As I cried, I got the strange feeling that someone was watching me, somebody who would change the course of everything that was happening. It would be someone I feared, someone with a vendetta against the man who held me captive…

.

.

.

.

Little did I know that it was Edward O'Kelley who was watching me…

Chapter 16: The Point of No Return  
Bob's POV:

My tormented mind swirled with confusion and anger as I sat down on the living room crouch. I sucked in a deep breath that almost became a growl as Laura's rejecting words echoed inside my head.

It truly devastated me that she only believed that I was interested in her because she was Jesse's sister. Maybe, at first, that was the reason, but… now it was something more than a biased fascination.

It was only her…

It was her youth, vulnerability, and naivety that attracted me to her.

All my life, it had been my parents and older siblings who taught me everything about the world. Now that I had Laura, I wanted to be the one to educate her and teach her about the world around her.

I could hear her quiet sobbing in the bedroom and I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt Laura.

Silently thinking about checking on her, I slowly walked to the bedroom, and I could hear her broken sobs continuing.

My hand knocked on the door as my heart thumped with apparent nervousness at apologizing to her for my stupidity. Then, I reminded myself that I had the key to the door in my pocket.

Chuckling to myself, I unlocked the door and found her there crying like a scared child. Her face was buried in the skirt of her would-be wedding dress.

I found myself fighting back my own tears of sadness in my eyes, but I forced them back as I reached out to touch her, hoping I wouldn't scare her.

"Laura, I'm sorry I upset you. I'm still wrapping my mind around what happened to Charley and I overreacted. Will you please forgive me?"

She raised her head from the dress to gaze at me, her blue eyes swollen with icy tears. She gulped as she wiped them away and the swallowing sound she produced made it sound like her throat was making quite an effort to do it.

I secretly hope that she wasn't getting sick.

"Bob, if… if you love me like you say you do, please let me go. I appreciate you taking care of me after that stunt I pulled, but people will eventually notice me missing."

My teeth gritted together in slight frustration, but I did my best to hide it from her. I moved upwards and sat myself on the edge of the bed.

"Come here, Laura." I softly ordered her, patting my knee for her to sit on my lap. Her eyes flitted between my face and my knees, but she slowly crawled next to me and climbed onto my legs, positioning herself to be cradled in my lap.

I resisted the urge to enfold my arms around her, but I figured that wouldn't help her getting used to me. My fingers ran themselves through her soft brown hair, but it felt a little greasy and I remembered that she must have not bathed since I brought her here.

The sound of her coughing broke me from my thoughts as I decided that I would help her bathe since her hands were still incapable of doing much due to the bandages.

"Would you like me to draw you a bath, Laura?" She looked at me with a confused expression, but she slowly nodded her head as she sniffed at a lock of her hair.

"Yeah, I suppose so. " She rose out of my lap and I left her alone get undressed. I dragged the huge metal basin tub inside and filled it with warm water and soap. When I came into the bedroom, I saw Laura clothed in nothing but a cream-colored slip that wrapped tightly around her body, emphasizing her small stature and perfect curves.

"Y…your bath is ready, Laura." I informed her as calmly as I could, surprised by the stutter in my voice.

She followed me out to the kitchen where I dragged the tub to. I walked to one side of it while Laura stood at the opposite side. My hand was held out to help her step into the tub. As she adjusted the straps of her top, I could see goose bumps form on her arms and a few rib bones that were shaping beneath her soft skin.

She looked so small and fragile that before she could fully step into the tub, I walked to her side of the tub, bent down and scooped her up into my arms. Her weight felt incredibly light and it made me worry that I had caused her to lose a significant amount of pounds by not feeding her enough.

Laura released a tiny gasp of surprise as I lifted her up to lie in my arms. She didn't seem particularly frightened, just startled. Her arms wrapped around my neck as I bent down to lay her inside the tub.

I could see her shiver as the warm water touched her body and her legs and abdomen were submerged in the cleansing liquid.

She sighed in pleasure and contentment as she laid back and dunked her hair into the sudsy water, her brunette locks changing into a darker black color.

I could feel the tempting desire rise in my body, the need to lift her out of the tub, take her to our bed, and make her feel the sensation of her blooming into a woman.

Her skin shone in the small depths of the bath water and I almost couldn't take it anymore. I knelt closer to the tub, and pushed her hair away from her neck.

My lips pressed against her throat and she sighed, almost moaned, in overwhelmed satisfaction, then she gasped in apparent surprise.

"Robert…Robert…I…" She was trying to tell me something, but I knew she couldn't continue. Her soaked arms enfolded themselves around my neck, and we were both trapped in our own personal flame.

The trap is set and waits for its prey

You have come here

In pursuit of your deepest urge

In pursuit of that wish which 'till now

Has been silent… silent

Now, I had her, I was sure of it. Tonight, I would make her mine, and nobody could stop me. My arms were in the water, soaking the sleeves of my shirt, and I slid them underneath her perfect body to hold her to me, so she could never leave me.

I lifted her out of the tub and she turned her head around to face me as I cradled her like a child. "Robert… I want to know what you really are." Then, her soft lips were against mine and I felt tears of joy and disbelief rise in my eyes.

I have brought you

That our passions may fuse and merge

In your mind, you've already succumbed to me

Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me

As she kissed me, I could hear water dripping down onto the floor from her slip, but I didn't give a damn about that. The girl I loved was finally coming to her senses! I managed to carry her to the living room couch and sat down with her securely in my lap. My hands held her face and I felt her hands tangle themselves into my hair.

The fire in my chest was burning intensely as our lips continued to battle in passionate urges.

Now you are here with me

No second thoughts

You've decided…

Decided…

Then, I lost all thought as her fingers began unbuttoning the front of my vest and her lips pulled away from mine. I could hear her gasping for breath and I wanted to gain her permission to undress her like she was doing to me.

At last, she whispered to both me and herself, as though she would later regret it. "God, please forgive me for what I'm about to do. Robert, I don't know what's happening to me, but I do need you after all you've done for me. Let me give you something back."

I wanted to laugh, cry and scream in realization as my hands reached up and removed the straps of her slip off her shoulders…

Past the point of no return

No backward glances

Our games of make-believe

Are at an end

My hands moved from her face down to her throat, encasing it in a small cage of protection, and our lips reconnected in a frenzy of sudden need for each other.

My mind screamed at me to stop, that this would hurt both of us in the end, but I didn't care. Let the whole town find out that I seduced Jesse James' sister, abducted her, and planned to make her marry me out of my own personal gain.

Laura was well worth it…

Past all thought of 'if' or 'when'

No use resisting

Abandon thought

And let the dream descend

She wrapped her legs around my waist and I slowly stood up from the couch, trying not to drop her. Tonight would be the night that I would transform her into a woman… consequences be damned to Hell.

What raging fires shall flood the soul?

What rich desire unlocks its door?

What sweet seduction

Lies before us

We made it back to the bedroom, and as Laura and I made love in sin, images of my past flooded into my mind, images that I knew would haunt me for the rest of my days.

Our bodies lay entwined together and I felt that could never be happier, but part of me thought it wasn't real, that maybe I was going insane. I decided it didn't matter as I gazed at Laura, who slept soundly against me, and I pulled the comforter tenderly around both of us, unaware of what danger we would face because of what we had committed due to lust and temptation…

In my mind, I begged for Jesse, Laura, and God to forgive me, for I finally knew that I did not deserve the angel that I held in my arms that night…and I never would be worthy of her.

Past the point of no return

The final threshold

What warm unspoken secrets will we learn?

Beyond the point of no return

Chapter 17: Running Up That Hill  
Laura's POV:

My body felt stiff as I lay in the bed, my mind swirling around the blurred events of last night. As I began to wake up, I was aware of something warm that wrapped around my waist. Then, I heard a soft, intoxicating voice whisper in my ear. It was so eerily calming that I almost sank back into unconsciousness.

"Jesse James was bigger than you can imagine. You would go to him wanting to be with him. I wanted to be like him. You would always come away missing something…"

I knew that it was Robert Ford's voice that whispered to me, but my mind filled with an overwhelming sensation of confusion.

How had I gotten here? Why were Robert and I lying in his bed…together…?

Then, the seduction of last night came back to haunt me…

You have brought me

To that moment when words run dry

To that moment when speech disappears

Into silence… silence

Last night, I had committed the ultimate betrayal as Jesse James' sister. I cry of agony formed in my throat, causing me to whimper pathetically. Under the covers, I felt that my clothes were gone, and my brown hair hung loose around the pillow case.

Robert's fingers gently stroked my hair, running tenderly across my scalp. He probably thought I was still asleep when really I was enduring the silent torture of realizing that I had betrayed Jesse.

I remembered how he drew my bath last night as I formed the plan in my head. I had figured that all he wanted with me was to take my virtue. If I gave him that, he would give me my freedom…

Then, instead of suffering through his gentle caresses, I had found myself enjoying them. Additionally, I felt terrible for tricking him so he would let me go, but I wasn't sure why…

I have come here

Hardly knowing the reason why

In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining

Defenseless and silent

Now, Robert's strong arm held me around the waist, in a loving kind of way, making my heart flutter.

What had I been thinking? I needed to get awayfrom here. I stirred under his arm, pretending to wake up, but I couldn't stop the river of tears flowing down my cheeks.

"Laura, what's the matter? Are you hurting anywhere?" His voice held no anger or lust, only concern, which surprised me.

I knew it wasn't a dream; I really did give myself to my brother's killer. It was desperation that drove me to trick him. By doing that, I had stooped down to his level.

"Shh… it's all right, Laura." His hands were soft along my face as he ran them across my cheeks, his fingertips tracing the shape of my bottom lip with a touch that felt light as a feather.

I shivered in involuntary pleasure as my conscience berated me for enjoying the feel of his skin against mine.

Now I am here with you

No second thoughts

I've decided…

Decided…

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass broke the silence along with my scream of shock. Robert enfolded his arms around me protectively, pulling me against his bare chest. I tucked the white sheet against my breasts, concealing them from view.

I looked down and saw that a red brick had been thrown through the bedroom window, leaving tiny glass pieces all over the carpet.

Robert's heart thumped erratically as he held me to him, and I could hear the air come out of his nose in short, angry gasps.

As I gazed down at the brick, I could see a small piece of paper taped to it. I leaned down and carefully swiped the note off, holding it between my fingers.

Bob and I both silently read the note to ourselves and my heart raced with nervousness.

I know what you did to that little girl, you foolish bastard. By tonight, you will be thrown in jail and endure the reputation of being not only a coward, but a violator of young women. Let the girl go, and she will be free from the consequences of your actions. I have already alerted the Creede police about what you did to her.

From, Edward O'Kelley

Worry seized my mind as I saw that the note was not only threatening Bob, but me as well.

Bob's hand ran slowly down my arm, trying to comfort me. Then, he stood wearing his thermal underwear and slipping on a pair of pants. He walked to the wooden dresser and pulled out an envelope, holding it out to me.

He sat back down on the bed, but he was further away from me than he had been moments before. "I found this in your mailbox when I went to your apartment, Laura." He sounded like he was ashamed of himself, and I could hear a sob choking him.

I took the envelope into my hand and saw that the sending address was to me, and the return address was from… my sister-in-law, Zee James. Also with the letter, there was a ticket for the train heading to Missouri at 2 o'clock this afternoon, which was only in two hours.

My breath caught in surprise and I felt Robert's eyes on me as I pulled the letter out of the envelope. It basically read that Mary, Zee's daughter, was ill and that she was too busy with her job as a maid to care for her during the day. She was asking me to come and help her. In return, I would get food and shelter in her home. She still lived in St. Joseph, Missouri, which was a long train ride from Colorado.

I heard Bob rise from the bed and start rummaging through my closet full of dresses. He took out a pretty blue dress with a white sash around the waist.

"Put this dress on. I'll pack some of your things." He set the dress on my side of the bed and stared at me with quietly demanding eyes.

"What's going on, Robert?" I asked him, fear enflaming my heart.

"I'm gonna get you on that train to Missouri. You'll be safe there. And… I'm letting you go, Laura."

"What's going to happen to you, Bob?" I felt afraid at the thought of him in a shivering cold jail cell.

He packed a couple of dresses and bottles of perfume into a lovely suitcase, ignoring my question while I slid my dress on, tying my hair into a ponytail.

After locking my suitcase shut, Bob took his wallet out and pulled out 20 dollars in cash. "This is for the coach that will take you to the train station, and for any snacks you want in case you get hungry on the train."

Before I could protest, he gently took my hand and placed the bills into it. "Take it, Laura. You deserve to be free of me after all I put you through." A lone tear slid down his cheek, and I could see in his eyes that this was difficult for him to do.

I reached up with my hand to wipe it away, but he stopped me, taking my wrist and gently pulling me to the front door of his apartment. "Forget me, Laura. Forget all of this. You should go before the news spreads around town."

He gently stroked the top of my hand with his thumb, and he leaned down, pressing his lips to my forehead.

"Robert, before I go, I should probably give this back to you." I held up my left hand and slowly slid his engagement ring off my finger. His blue eyes shone with tears and my heart filled with internal pain as I looked into them. I took his open hand and placed the ring into his palm, closing his fingers around it.

I felt my own tears surface to my eyes again as I opened the door to leave, the suitcase feeling heavy in my hands. "Good-bye, Robert." I whispered, turning away before he could see the tears.

He closed the door behind me, and almost immediately after, I heard the sound of a man falling to his knees, sobbing like a lost, heartbroken child. As I walked away from the door, I could make out a few words that emerged from the sound of Robert's crying, something that made my heart split in two.

"Laura… I love you…"

Chapter 18: Learn to Be Lonely  
Bob's POV:

It was all over now. She was gone, and she wasn't coming back…

Everything in my body screamed at me to run after her, to join her on that train and we'd run away from all our problems, just like I planned.

But, in my heart, I knew that the only way I could save Laura was to let her go.

She'd never be happy with me, not with the man who turned her life upside-down. I slumped against the door, letting myself slide down until I was sitting on the wooden floor.

Laura's engagement ring felt ten pounds heavier than it was as I clutched it tightly in my hand. I leaned over to stand on my knees as fresh sobs built in my throat.

Laura…I love you…

The words echoed inside my mind as I began crying pathetically like a child. I was truly alone now.

It's for the best. If you truly loved Laura, you would let her go live her own life and allow her to find happiness.

Now, I knew that I really did love her. It was no longer just a temporary crush or obsession…it was pure, unconditional love.

I realized it from the moment I thought she had killed herself, the very thought of anything happening to her made me want to tear someone apart with my bare hands.

Through my blurred vision, I saw the wedding gown lying in a chair by my bed. Still grasping the ring in my hand, I walked to the chair and gathered the beautiful dress into my arms. Somewhat childishly, I pretended that it was Laura I was holding, cradling her protectively to me.

I sat down on my bed and buried my face into the dress, my tears soaking the sparkling material and the silky ribbon. Laura would have looked indescribably gorgeous in that gown on our wedding day. I had planned for us to be married secretly by the town pastor, George Carter, but now there was no reason for it to happen.

My eyes were closed against the smooth satin of the gown, tears still streaming down. I imagined Laura wearing the beautiful dress, looking like a godsend angel, walking down the aisle toward me. Possibilities surfaced in my mind about what would have been between us if I hadn't killed Jesse in the first place.

Would she have fallen for me as I did for her? Certainly, I would have courted her in a traditional fashion. If I had proposed to her in a different way and she accepted, I'd make sure she was given anything she desired.

Now, that I had committed the murder of Jesse James, I knew that she could never love me. She deserved better.

I thought back to the threatening note from that vile Edward O'Kelley, and discovered the other reason for releasing Laura to go free. I didn't want to risk her being harmed because of the town's hatred of me. They would have used her to get at me, but I'd make damned sure they didn't lay so much as a finger on her…

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of banging on the door. I raised my head up from the dress and walked toward the living room. The door opened and there stood Edward O'Kelley, a small smirk on his aged face, flanked by three police men.

One of them barked out to me that they had a warrant for my arrest, for the abduction and apparent rape of Miss Laura Ford. The rest of his words were a muddled blur as they grabbed my arms, hooking them behind my back.

I felt cold handcuffs slapped onto my wrists, cutting into my flesh. Anger tore through me as Edward smirked at me. I could practically feel the flames emerging behind my eyes, but I knew that there was no use in attacking him. I didn't have the gall to hurt him.

I really am a coward…

All that happened after that was nothing but a blur as they transferred me to the Creede County jail. I had my own small cell with a little bunk to sleep on. Needless to say, I didn't sleep at all that night, consumed with longing thoughts about Laura.

The next morning, I heard the door to my cell clank open with a groan as two uniformed men ordered me to rise and put my hands behind my back.

"It's time for your public whipping, Ford." One of them growled at me. I wasn't scared of him, but I knew what punishment they prepared for me.

They led me out of the jail and to the town square. I walked with them up the stairs to a platform where Edward stood, a long black whip grasped in his hand.

My heart pounding in fear and anger, I held my head up as the men removed my vest and shirt until my bare chest was exposed to the world. My hands were kept tied behind my back as I was instructed to kneel down.

I got down on both knees and bowed my head, ashamed at what I had done to Laura, Jesse and myself. I noticed that nearly the whole town of Creede had gathered to watch the public punishment of Robert Ford…a cowardly murderer, kidnapper and accused rapist.

The crowd began to yell for me to be punished for what I did, and I only hung my head in defeat. Finally, I felt the whip slash across my back, stinging to the point where I wanted to cry out in pain. I made no sound except for a wince that only I could hear.

The fiery pain increased as the pleasured shouts grew louder and the whip continued to slice across my back. An eternity seemed to pass as I began to feel weak from the loss of blood. Sweat ran down my body and I gasped desperately for breath.

Black spots clouded my vision as I saw the platform coming toward my face. Right before I blacked out, one thing crossed my mind as the shouts of the crowd were drowned out and the blood ran down my back.

Laura's beautiful face, her eyes glowing with a lovely radiance… She was smiling at me like she had after I fed her at my apartment, a grateful smile that filled my heart with joy.

I felt myself smile as the whip stopped slashing my back and I finally collapsed onto the floor…and everything vanished into a calm darkness.

Chapter 19: My Baby Shot Me Down  
Laura's POV:

I stood in my apartment, unpacking the clothes Bob had loaded into my suitcase. My heart still could not fathom the fact that Bob had released me so easily, after he practically begged for me to become his wife. How heartless was I to just leave him crying in front of his own doorstep, like he had just lost everything that mattered to him.

Then, he said that he loved me. That just could not be possible. He was only interested in me because I was Jesse's sister, a naïve' and vulnerable child he could manipulate.

The conversation of last night came to my mind as I pulled out the locket Robert had retrieved from the apartment, where he spoke to me so revealingly, so plainly. Almost like I had dreamed the whole thing…

"Why did you kill him?" I asked the man lying next to me in his bed. He looked down at his hands, thinking of an honest answer.

"He was going to kill me." Bob responded quietly, almost seeming like he didn't want to answer my question.

A shiver crawled up my spine as I nodded in understanding, which surprised me. I remembered reading countless newspaper clippings about Frank and Jesse's escapades as a little girl. It had seemed so dangerous, yet so exciting and unforgettable.

"So, you were scared and that's the only reason?" I gently pressed him, my voice losing confidence.

"Yes. That and for the reward money." He whispered quietly, hanging his head in shame. I looked down at the gorgeous ring that still remained on my finger and my heart nearly ceased with sick comprehension.

"Do…do you want me to change the subject?" My voice was barely a whisper as my stomach twisted inside my body. His gentle hands stroked along my hair; I knew he wasn't going to harm me now.

He looked down again and smiled to himself, a small smirk forming on his lips. My heart subtly increased its speed and I hoped he couldn't hear it. "You know what I expected? Applause." He chuckled to himself, and I couldn't help but smile too. "But, I was only twenty years old then. I couldn't see how it would look to people. I was surprised by what happened; they didn't applaud."

We both chuckled together softly, alone in the remnants of our intimate talk. For that moment, I didn't feel like a member of the James family at all. I was somebody else, a mystery…an outsider. Exhaustion overcame me as I still felt tired from the last ten minutes of Bob and I being together. Another surge of illness entered my stomach, but I pushed it away as I felt his lips on mine.

I lost the ability to breathe, to think about where I was and what I was doing…

Then, everything disappeared as he gathered me into his arms and lulled me to sleep, whispering the traditional wedding nuptials in my ear… and the tears of intense regret rolled down my face.

My mind snapped back to reality as I walked back to the door of my apartment. I still grasped the train ticket in my hand, and slowly tore it in half. I couldn't leave Bob alone with that threatening note.

Needless to say, I had already missed the train by hours now. I just had to have time to think. Now, I knew what I had to do. I had to see if he was alright, if he was safe. He didn't need to suffer for something I did.

Without even processing what was around me, I dropped my suitcase and started to run. I didn't care who saw me, I just wanted to see if he was okay.

Blurred faces passed by me, filled with confusion and anxiety. I probably looked like a mess, but I didn't care. Then, I felt a pair of arms roughly grab me from behind me. A large hand covered my mouth, muffling my useless screams for help. "Don't be scared of me, little girl. I'm the one who saved you from that coward."

I looked up into the aged face of Edward O'Kelley. He slowly released me as I recognized him, a sly smile forming on his lips.

"Where is he?" I asked in a small voice, struggling to build some confidence into it.

His brows furrowed together in confusion, but he held out his arm in invitation. "I'll gladly take you to see him, my dear." I followed him through the streets of town until we came to the county jail.

A chill flowed down my spine, but I gathered up my courage and followed Edward inside. There was a long row of cells that were mostly empty. I saw that the sheriff had passed out drunk for the night, so I knew Edward and I were alone on our journey.

Then, I heard some movement coming from the only cell that was occupied. In the dim light of the lanterns, I saw… Robert, lying on his small cot, bloody spots dripping down onto the floor. His clothes were torn and ruined. His eyes were closed, and he seemed peaceful, nearly boyish.

"Hey, Ford!" Edward yelled out to the sleeping man. "You have a very pretty visitor come to see you." I saw Bob's blue eyes dart open and he gasped in shock when he saw me standing next to Edward.

"Laura, what are you doing here? Why is Edward with you?" I could hear a growl form in his usually soft voice…and it scared me.

"So, you were trying to escape, weren't you, little missy? Does that mean you betrayed your own family!" Edward grabbed my hair roughly, making me yelp in pain.

"Let her go! She didn't do anything wrong." Robert jumped from the cot and sprung at the bars of his cage. Edward stepped back and pulled me along with him.

"It's true, I spent the night with…the man who killed Jesse James." I whispered so softly, only the two men near me would be able to hear it.

"I knew it, you filthy little tramp…" Edward snarled, pushing me away. Before I could steady myself, I landed hard against the bars of Bob's prison.

Blood soaked the top of my head and everything became fuzzy. Then, I heard a loud shout of anger, and the clanking of the jail doors crashing open. My name was being called, but I couldn't hear what else was being said.

Two arms scooped me up and held me close, the same arms I despised, yet longed for. The sound of his yelling and crying rang in my ears.

"Laura…Laura…" I was in the arms of the man who wanted to possess me, body and soul. Now, I would felt happy to die in his embrace.

I wouldn't survive this injury, and I knew it all too well.

My vision became completely dark, with the last thing I saw being Robert's burning blue eyes, thick with tears that would never go away.

His sobbing faded into silence as he held me close, and I felt safer than I had ever felt in my whole life. The irony was that I had died in the arms of a man that America deemed to be a monster…

Nobody would ever know the coward Robert Ford like I did…

A lonely and confused man who only wanted someone to love him...

As my soul left my body, he slid the ring onto my finger…and he kissed my lips with such a light touch that I hardly felt it. His fingertips tenderly closed my aching eyelids; I could feel his fingers shaking.

He whispered in my ear one last thing before my world vanished. "Sleep… my perfect bride."

Chapter 20: Hurt  
Bob's POV:

No…no, NO!

Laura's body slumped in my arms as I held her, gently closing her eyelids with my fingertips. Fire and ice encased my insides, twisting them into angry knots.

What had I done to this poor, innocent girl? I had hurt her with my love…my obsession.

The whole room around me became a blur as two guards entered the room after hearing the commotion. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the young woman in my arms, blood soaking her hair.

"F…Ford, O'Kelley…?" One of the men gestured to both and Edward and I. "What the hell happened in here?" I ignored his question, standing up with Laura securely in my arms. I glared at all the men in the room, especially Edward. He only stared at me with a blank expression; as if he were covering up that he was involved in this whole situation.

"You…you did this…" I hissed at the old bastard. "Look at her! Do you see what you've done?" I cried out in fury, gazing down the lifeless girl.

"I may have pushed her, Ford, but you're the one who really murdered her. If you hadn't become obsessed with having her, she'd still be alive." My heart nearly stopped beating as anger and grief overwhelmed my body.

The two guards grabbed Edward and started to drag him out of the room. "O'Kelley, let's go see what the sheriff has to say about what you did to that girl." Edward yelled out curses and accusations at me, but I paid him no mind as I carried Laura's body out of the room. Her head and arms hung limp and her face seemed to be turning pale…almost as if she were dead.

No, she couldn't be dead. She was only knocked out. I'd bandage her back up as soon as I got back to the apartment. Laura had to wake up soon.

I finally exited the jail and was greeted with many horrified and scared passersby. Men and women stared in mortification as they saw me carrying Laura through the snow-covered streets of Creede. Murmurs came from a huddled crowd and I could hear the words "Coward", "Bastard" and "that poor child" among them, but my mind was only focused on getting back to my home so I could heal her.

My arms were starting to get tired when I made it to the bedroom of the apartment. I gently laid her on my bad, adjusting her head on the pillow. I soaked a cloth in warm water, dabbing her hair to remove the blood from her hair. After it was all gone, I started to worry that she hadn't opened her eyes.

"Laura, wake up. You're safe now." I softly touched her cheek with my hand, which was shockingly cold.

Oh, no. I thought to myself as her eyes remained closed and she continued to lay motionless. Desperately, I grabbed a glass of water from the dining room and ran back to the bedroom, lifting Laura's head up with my hand. I held the glass up to her lips, hoping she would drink it.

She did not.

Painful denial flooded through me as I lost my grip on the glass, sending it smashing to the floor. I barely heard it as I took her wrist into my hand, feeling for her pulse.

Her small hand was ice cold in mine and there was no rhythm of blood flowing in her veins. Grief, regret and anger consumed me as I wrapped my arms around her, cradling her to me as pathetic sobs erupted from my chest.

Laura James was dead…and it was all because of me. I continued holding her as my sobs increased into moans of emotional pain and anguish.

"Laura…I'm so sorry." Somewhere in my shattered heart, I hoped that she could hear me. My blurred eyes scanned around the room until I saw the wedding gown lying in the bedroom chair. A grim idea came to mind as my sobbing stopped. I would dress her body in the gorgeous dress I had dreamed about her wearing.

I gently removed the dress she was wearing off her body until she was only in her underclothes and corset. Her beauty broke my heart as I gazed down at her, cold and lifeless. Not even death could destroy her angelic appearance.

As I maneuvered her into the dress, I could see that it fit her perfectly, just as I imagined. The top clung to her curves and the skirt flowed over her legs, glittering in the evening light. I placed the veil onto her head, smoothing it out over her face.

She was my perfect bride…only she wasn't moving or breathing. Laura Ford was my wife, even in death. My ring still clung to her finger, its tiny diamond sparkling in the center.

I climbed onto the bed and carefully gathered my lifeless bride into my arms, the rest of my world crashing all around me. My mind was breaking…reality collapsing all sense of sanity that was left inside me. Mental flames consumed my vision, so much I could practically feel the heat building up, burning my world into an inferno.

I could hear the shouts of anger of people outside, craving for my death and destruction…

I gladly welcomed it…with my dead bride in my arms where she always belonged.

There would be no eulogies for Bob, no photographs of his body would be sold in sundries stores, no people would crowd the streets in the rain to see his funeral cortege, no biographies would be written about him, no children named after him, no one would ever pay twenty-five cents to stand in the rooms he grew up in.

The shotgun bullets from outside would burst throughout the bedroom, but Robert Ford would only lay on the bed next to her, holding her in his arms and gazing at the ceiling. The light would go out of eyes before he could find one final sane thought.

THE END


End file.
